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Every time I try to select the color tool for Word or Excel, the program stops working and closes down. Then, when I try to close Word, I get this message: Word cannot open the file ~WRS(7D780A-54B6-4E7F-A073-4DEA6927F7DF). What is the problem and how do I get rid of the message?

Office 2007 Service Pack 2

Sounds like we may have two separate issues here. The color selection tool problem may be related to a recent update to the software or damage within the Microsoft Office suite. Microsoft recently issued a service pack for Microsoft Office 2007. Before we begin, think about when the problems began. The Office 2007 service pack was issued on April 24, 2009 as an "important" update, so if your problems began around then, it's possible that the service pack is to blame. If you suspect that the service pack has adversely affected your computer, you can download the Service Pack Uninstall Tool for Microsoft Office 2007.

However, since this service pack is an important update, it's not necessarily automatic, so there's also the possibility that your version of Office is out of date. Installing the service pack could correct your errors with Word and Excel. So, even though I know the advice sounds contrary to what I just said, you might want to download and install it. When it comes to updates and service packs, errors can work both ways. Sometimes the updates cause errors; other times they fix them. When updates cause more problems than they fix, they're eventually updated with yet another update.

Repairing Office

If you think that your copy of Office might have damaged files, then you can "repair" Office easily enough. In Office 2007, go to the Office button while in Word and then click Word Options. Click the Resources link and choose Run Microsoft Office Diagnostics > Diagnose. In earlier versions of Office, use the Detect and Repair Tool which is found under the Help menu. These diagnostics tools will scan your copy of Office and repair or replace any damaged files.

~WRS Files

Now, let's take a look at the ~WRS file. When you see a Word file with the tilde (~) mark at the beginning of the file name, this indicates a temporary file. A similar issue, albeit with a different file name than appears in your error message, involved problems with Word saving temporary files properly when it was closed. This error occurred with Word users who had HP printers set as their default printer. The workaround was to set a different printer as the default until HP eventually released an updated printer driver to solve this issue. If you have an HP printer, updating its printer driver or using an alternative printer as the default should solve this problem.

After a having new Windows installed to my computer, the Office Home and Student 2007 which I had installed disappeared and was replaced by a trial edition. I have not activated it. Do I uninstall it and run my disk again? I want it back permanently

Sounds like, yes, you will need to do a little bit of work to get your fully functional version of Office working once again. Since you have the disc and product key, this shouldn't be a problem.

Upgrade the Trial Version or Remove and Reinstall?

Two different approaches to this problem exist: upgrade trial version and uninstall/reinstall. Some versions of the Office Trial version are upgradable to the full version which eliminates the need for uninstalling and reinstalling the software, so this is the first thing to try.

Note that you can only upgrade the trial version for the retail version that you have. For example, since you have Office Home and Student 2007, the trial version on your computer must be the trial version for the Office Home and Student 2007 software. If the trial version is for a different version of Office, then uninstall it and use your disc to install your software.

Assuming the trial version is the Office Home and Student 2007 version (as that's most likely), let's move on. Launch the trial version and see if the Activation Wizard appears. If so, click the option that says, "I do not want to activate my copy. Instead, I want to convert to the full version now." Click the Next button followed by Enter Product Key. From there, enter your 25-digit product key which should be affixed to the CD case of your Office 2007 disc. Click Continue and agree to the terms. Click Install. Now, your trial version is actually the fully functional version!

What if the Activation Wizard doesn't appear? That probably means that you've already activated the trial version so that you can start using Word, Excel, and the other programs. No problem, launch Word and then click the Office button. Click on Word Options and then on the Resources link in the left pane. Click Activate. From there, you'll enter the product key and convert the Office trial version into the fully functional version of Office 2007.

If the trial version is not upgradable, use Add and Remove Programs (Programs and Features in Vista) to remove it before installing the Office 2007 disc.

I have Microsoft Office for Mac and I'm learning how to create and print a spreadsheet. I've created my spreadsheet and I want to print "selected" columns only. I'm able to select my first two columns and get them to the Set Print Area. My Office Assistant tells me how to select the next required column (not adjacent) and refers me to the "contextual menu" for adding it to the Print Area. I can't find the "contextual menu". I am using Control Click in the cell area. I've looked everywhere that I can think of. Can you tell me where it is and how to get to it?

What are Contextual Menus?

Contextual menus are shortcut menus or popup screens offering additional choices when working with software or the operating system. For example, by right-clicking one of the tabs in your spreadsheet, a contextual menu will appear giving you choices including: insert, delete, rename, move or copy, view code, protect sheet, tab color, hide/unhide, and select all sheets.

Setting the Print Area

You are on the right track by using Control Click to select your columns. In fact, you should be able to Control Click any column that you want to print while skipping those that you do not want to print. Use Control Click to highlight each column that you want to print, skipping over those that you do not want to print. Once you have your columns selected in Excel 2008 for Mac, go to the File menu and choose Print Area. When you click on Print Area, another menu (a contextual menu) opens where you will then choose Set Print Area.

For users of Excel 2007, the process is a bit different. In this case, Control Click is also used to select the columns. However, to set the print area, you would need to go to the Page Layout tab and click the Print Area down arrow. Choose Set Print Area.

In either case, once the print area has been selected, you'll notice a series of dashed lines that indicate which areas are set for printing.

Previewing the Columns

Next, you'll want to see how your printout will look before printing. Use the Print Preview feature to make sure that all columns display as they should. If the columns do not appear on a single page (and they probably won't), go into File > Page Setup and make the necessary adjustments. For example, you might want to change the page to a landscape orientation or adjust the page to a percentage of its original size. Sometimes, adjusting the margins gives you enough additional space to squeeze everything in though it depends on the contents of your spreadsheet.

Printing the Selected Area

Once you've set the print area and adjusted the page layout, do a quick Print Preview to make sure your printout looks the way you'd like it and then print away!

Gosh. That depends. There are hundreds of different database products on the market, many of which are configurable. That is you can change the view. For example, I used to create Microsoft Access databases for the customer service representatives to use to track their phone calls back when I worked in the corporate world. I designed the database to open with a splash screen that acted as a menu. The CSRs simply had to click the menu item (such as Lookup Inventory, Find Quote, View Report, etc.). On the other hand, my view of this same database was more complex. I had my view set to open directly to the underlying database objects. That way, I could go directly into the inventory list, run a query, or perform other tasks not generally available to the group as a whole.

Design View vs. Database View

In addition to the opening screen, when inside a database such as Microsoft Access, different views are available. The Design view is the view used when actually designing a component such as a form, query, or report whereas the Datasheet view is used to enter actual data or view a report's results.

Help for Working with Microsoft Access

I don't know which database you are working with so I'm using Microsoft Access as an example. This program is complex and not the easiest to master. It took me years and a huge 1000+ word book to finally become proficient at using it to design databases. I found a brief tutorial for those just starting out with Access that may be helpful.

Working with Microsoft Works Database

Let me also discuss the database found in the Microsoft Works suite since many computers have Works preinstalled. When you launch Works and choose Works Database for the first time, you are prompted with a screen asking you to create a database. Once you create and open a database, the initial window is based on the database's design, usually opening to a form where you can begin entering data.

However, you can easily change the view at any time by going to the menu bar and choosing View. Under View, you'll have several choices including: List, Form, Form Design, and Report.

Databases are amazingly powerful, but often difficult to master. Depending on how the database was designed by the designer, you may not be able to change the opening window.

Clipboard fails to copy when using Works Word Processor. The clipboard functions perfectly in all other programs. Message tells me of not having enough memory.

Works Clipboard Error Message

Does the message say "The info you copied exceeds the size limit for pasting into the word processor. Try reducing the size of your selection and try again" by chance? This is extremely common with Works when copying and pasting HTML text such as text copied from the Internet or an e-mail message. If so, the solution is to use the Paste Special command. Go to the Edit menu and choose Paste Special followed by Unformatted Text.

Works Clipboard and HTML

Works seems to have an inherent problem copying and pasting HTML, as do more robust programs from Microsoft such as Word or Excel. While Word and Excel copy the HTML text eventually, and with no error messages, the process is slower than with regular text. Works simply refuses and generates the error message.

Actually, Works "times out" because the process of converting HTML into RTF table cells exceeds its specified time period. The workaround is to use the Paste Special command as described above. If you're copying a picture, use Edit> Paste Special > Picture.

Works 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0 Compatibility Issues with Internet Explorer

These problems typically affect Works versions 6 through 8 and Internet Explorer 7. This is a known issue with Internet Explorer 7.0. Consider upgrading to Internet Explorer 8 which may help (if Microsoft fixed this issue with the latest release).

Works Memory and the Clipboard

If the error message is specifically saying that your computer doesn't have enough free memory, then you may have a different issue altogether. First, try the Edit> Paste Special command to see if that makes a difference. If so, you may be stuck using these extra steps. If not, you may need to free up memory when you are working with the Works programs. Reboot your computer, close out all other programs, and see if you can successfully use the Clipboard in Works.

That said, I believe that the Works Clipboard has difficulty with HTML plain and simple. For example, I opened Works 8.0 on my computer to try out a theory. Since Works comes with a "Portfolio" tool which is like a more permanent version of the Clipboard, I thought that perhaps using Portfolio would be a workaround. Like the Clipboard, Portfolio copied and pasted regular text just fine. However, when I copied HTML into the Portfolio and tried to paste it into Works, I received the "exceeds size limit" message. Next, I chose the "Send item to> Blank document" action only to receive an out of memory message. My computer has plenty of memory. I suspect that this is a flaw with the program that you're going to need to work around by using the Paste Special command.

The latest version of Works is Works 8.5. If you have Works 8.0, you may benefit by updating the software. The latest update does not solve the Clipboard errors though.

I am using Microsoft Project 2003 at my workplace. My version is supposed to be the same as my boss's version but I do not have the top line menu items (File Edit View Insert Format Tools Table Window Help). Why is this so?

While both computers may have the same software version, it's not uncommon for different users to have made different adjustments to the interface. This is true of any software offering any level of customization.

Disappearing Menu Bar

The File | Edit | View | Insert | Format | Tools | Table | Window | Help display that you are referring to is called the "menu bar." When the menu bar disappears, it's extremely difficult to work unless you know all of the keyboard shortcuts for your favorite commands. Fortunately, restoring the menu bar is relatively easy.

Full Screen Mode

The first thing to check is to see whether you are running Project in full screen mode or not. Full screen mode automatically removes the toolbars and menu bar so that more of your document is visible on the screen. To switch to regular mode, press Alt + V and then press U.

Checking the Toolbar Settings

First, if you have any toolbar showing in the upper screen at all, right-click a blank area of one of the toolbars. Does a submenu come up? Does it have a line that says "menu bar?" If so, click the menu bar line to enable its reappearance. This works in many programs including Internet Explorer. This technique is useful whenever you suspect that a toolbar is missing from any number of software products.

Using the View Menu Command to Restore the Menu Bar

Press the Alt + V keys which will open up the View Menu command. Now, press T to display the Toolbar menu.

Resetting Menu Bar

Another option is to try resetting your toolbars to the default setting. To do this, press Alt + T + C. This opens the Customize Toolbars command. Here you can select the menu bar and choose "reset." This should replace your missing menus.